MicroDri has been recognised as one of Sweden’s most promising young tech companies on Ny Teknik’s 33-list 2025 and has also been awarded Trätoppen, a national prize for innovation in the wood industry. The recognitions highlight a company bringing completely new technology into a sector where change traditionally happens slowly.
Growing attention after national media coverage
Media attention has generated significant interest in the company’s technology.
“Each time we appear in Dagens Industri or Ny Teknik, new industries reach out,” says CEO Victor Borén.
Requests now come from a wide range of sectors. “We get everything from farmers to very large companies asking how our technology could fit their processes. It has been very positive.”
Victor also notes that being visible in national press gives credibility when approaching new partners. “It helps open doors. For a small company, that makes a difference.”
How it all started
The company’s journey began at LEAD, where Victor participated in the incubator’s entrepreneur programme. During that period, he came into contact with Saab and discovered an unused microwave technology that had never been applied to civilian industry.
“The technology existed, but not the application,” Victor explains.
With support from Saab’s technical expertise, he and the co-founders began exploring where microwave heating could replace slower and more energy-intensive industrial processes. Microdri first tested the technology together with sawmills and then carried out a large demonstration project with Holmen, SCA and the Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten). A full-scale pilot plant was built in Norrköping
“That facility allowed us to show that the technology works and to understand what value it can create,” Victor says. “It opened a lot of doors for us.”
During this period, Microdri also began receiving interest from other sectors. One of the strongest opportunities is heat treatment of wooden pallets used in international trade.
“There are strict global requirements for heat treating pallets,” Victor explains. “Today the process takes hours or days in large chambers. We want to make it continuous and much faster.”
Where Microdri is heading
Microdri is now preparing for its first commercial installation. “Our goal is to have the first system on the market next year,” Victor says.
The company works along two parallel tracks: developing solutions directly for pallet producers, and integrating the technology into equipment sold by machine manufacturers. Victor expects steady growth over the next few years.
“We want to build a stable organisation of around 10 to 20 people and work globally while staying rooted in Östergötland,” he says. “The competence in this region is very high. Many of our employees have Saab backgrounds, and being part of LEAD has been important throughout the journey.”
What stands out most to him is the role of people.
“It always comes down to the team and the partnerships,” Victor says. “If you put together the right group, you can achieve almost anything.”
Microdri is one of several regional companies gaining national attention this year. Explore more award-winning innovations from Linköping Science Park in our 2025 Awards overview.
MicroDri:
Founded: 2020
Founders: Victor Borén, Leif Erlandsson, Mikael Edde, SAAB Ventures
Location: Linköping
Focus area: Drying technology / Sustainability / Energy efficiency
Recognition: 33-listan 2025, Winner of Trätoppen 2025
